Mom Donates Kidney to Son, Loses Job

A Philadelphia mother was left jobless Tuesday after she took time off work to donate a kidney to her dying son and was fired during her absence.

Claudia Rendon did not hesitate when doctors delivered the news that her son Alex was in desperate need of a life-saving kidney transplant and offered him her kidney, myFOXphilly.com reported.

But she had already used up her vacation time at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, in northeast Philadelphia, earlier in the year following the death of her mother and uncle and her father's diagnosis with leukemia.

Randon said, "Everything was coming down all at once. I felt like the best thing that happened to me this whole entire year was that God gave me the blessing of being able to give my son my kidney."

Through it all, Rendon showed up to work but needed a leave of absence to donate her kidney to her son.

Before Rendon left, she said her boss made her sign a paper, saying her job would not be guaranteed, and late last week -- just as she was preparing to return to work -- her employers told her they had hired someone else.

Rendon's former boss refused to comment and a company representative said it was in its legal rights to let Rendon go as the Family Medical Leave Act, which covers an employee for 12 weeks leave, does not apply to companies with under 50 employees.

But her son believes the decision is a heartless one

"She saved my life basically," he said. "Who else can say their mom gave them life two times?"